Attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar

ABSTRACT

A supplemental clothes hanger bar is carried on upstanding arms, the arms each terminating in a hook at the top. The hooks are sized and spaced so that they can engage on the bar of a conventional wire clothes hanger to provide an attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar under the wire clothes hanger. A series of such attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bars can be serially connected below the wire clothes hanger so that a sufficient number is provided for the number of flexible items such as garments which are to be hung together.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application relies for priority on Provisional Application61/572,376 filed Jul. 13, 2011, entitled “Attachment to IncreaseVersatility of a Garment Hanger” and on Provisional Application Ser. No.61/626,414 filed Sep. 26, 2011, entitled “Attachment for Garment HangerBent Wire and Tube” and on Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/626,415filed Sep. 26, 2011, entitled “Attachment for Garment Hanger Bent Wire”,the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by thisreference.

BACKGROUND

In the garment retail business, the provision of uniforms and in thegarment cleaning business, garment hangers are widely used. Thesehangers must be strong enough to hold various garments in the positionrequired. They must be easy to use put the garment on the hanger andremove it therefrom. The garment hanger must hold the garment in placeand not permit it to easily slip off. The garment hanger must not causeany undesired creasing of the garment. It must not leave any unwantedmarks on the garment regardless of the environment in which the hangeris used. The garment hanger must not be bulky for shipping and storagereasons. In addition, the garment hanger must work well with all garmentracks. Such garment hangers can be made out of many different materials,including but not limited to wood, metal wire, plastic moldings, die cutplastic, or paper products.

In addition, in some utilizations, the garment hanger must be veryeconomic. The demand for inexpensive hangers arises severely in thegarment cleaning business. When the garment is cleaned, it is returnedto the owner on a hanger. In order to keep costs down, the garmenthanger must be inexpensive. Wire hangers can be utilized to meet thisneed in the garment hanger business.

It will be desirable to provide one or more supplemental hanger bars toa conventional single wire hanger to permit several garments to beconveniently supported together by a single hanger. This has theadvantage of reducing the space needed to hang the garments. In drycleaning businesses, the garments which are ready to be returned to thecustomers are commonly held on an overhead chain. Hanging severalgarments on one hanger reduces the need for chain length, and this isadvantageous. In addition to reducing the chain length, it is moreconvenient to the cleaner to keep garments together when they belong tothe same customer. In this manner, there is less likelihood ofseparating garments which belong in a group. In addition, attaching asupplemental bar requires less material and manufacturing time than acomplete hanger. Thus it is an economic value for the attachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar to be attachable onto a conventionalclothes hanger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to aid in the understanding of this invention it can be statedin essentially summary form that it is directed to an attachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar configured to be attachable anddetachable to a conventional wire and similar coat hanger.

It is a purpose and advantage of this invention to provide an attachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar which can be attached and detached froma conventional garment clothes hanger so as to provide one or moreadditional attachable and detachable clothes hanger bars.

It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide anattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar which isstrong enough to hold various items and garments in the positionrequired, easy to use, hold the garment in place and not allow it toslip off, not cause any undesired creasing of the garment, not leave anyunwanted marks on the garment and be inexpensive. The attachable anddetachable clothes hanger bar is capable of holding various items,including garments, bed clothing, drapery, and other fabric andnonfabric flexible items.

Other purposes and advantages of this invention will become apparentfrom a study of the following portion of the specification, the claims,and the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the first preferred embodiment of theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the attachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar attached to wire coat hanger.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing two attachable supplementalclothes hanger bars sequentially engaged on a conventional wire clotheshanger.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the second preferred embodiment of theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar in accordancewith this invention.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view thereof.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view thereof showing it attached to aconventional wire coat hanger.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view thereof, showing two of the supplementalclothes hanger bar attached sequentially to the wire coat hanger.

FIG. 9 is perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar of thisinvention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing it attached to a conventionalclothes hanger.

FIG. 11 is an elevational view showing two of the attachable anddetachable supplemental clothes hanger bars sequentially attached to awire coat hanger.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged section through the right end of the supplementalattachable clothes hanger bar.

FIG. 13 is a detailed view of upper portion of the arm of FIG. 12,showing its snap-on attachment to the lower hanger bar.

FIG. 14 is an elevational view of another preferred embodiment of thesupplemental clothes hanger bar of this invention as applied to aclothes hanger.

FIG. 15 is an isometric view thereof.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the right end of the clothes hanger bar,as seen along the line c-c of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a detailed side view of a first preferred embodiment of anattachment insert.

FIG. 18 a similar view of a second preferred embodiment of the insert.

FIG. 19 a similar view of a third preferred embodiment of the insert.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A conventional wire clothes hanger is generally indicated at 10 in FIGS.3 and 4. In the most common form, it is a single piece of wire. Hook 12is formed at the top. Hook 12 is sized to engage over the normal closetbar and other similar types of supporting structures, including clothesracks and drycleaner's overhead chain. Below the hook 12 are shoulders14 and 16 which are slightly angularly directed downward in order toengage within the shoulders of the garment. The shoulders are connectedtogether by bar 18. This is a common type of an inexpensive clotheshanger for which the attachable and detachable supplemental clotheshanger bar of this invention is suitable. Commonly the bar 18 carriesfolded paper stock to soften the crease line. In another inexpensiveclothes hanger of similar construction, the bar 16 is made of a paperstock tube. The attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hangerbar of this invention is suitable for either style of wire coat hanger.

The first preferred embodiment of the attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar of this invention is generally indicatedat 20 in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4. The attachable and supplemental bar 20 iscomprised of a single piece of wire, preferably wire stock of similarnature tube that utilized in the coat hanger 10. The attachable anddetachable supplemental clothes hanger bar 20 includes a clothes bar 22which is substantially the same length as the bar 18. At the end of theclothes bar 22 are the upwardly extending arms 24 and 26. These armsrespectively carry on the upper termination thereof hooks 28 and 30. Thehooks are sized and shaped, as shown in FIG. 13, to resiliently engageand snap onto the bar 18 of hanger 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Theclothes bar 22 is optionally fitted with folded paper stock, similar tothe option for bar 18.

FIG. 4 shows the attachable and detachable bar 20 as being engaged onthe bar 18 of hanger 10. It also shows attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar 32, which is identical to the bar 20,detachably engaged on the clothes bar 22. In this way, it can be seenthat a series of depending attachable and detachable supplementalclothes bars can be utilized. The number utilized is determined by thenumber of garments or other items to be hung on a single hanger. Theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar of thus issuitable for a variety of different purposes with the selected number ofthe supplemental bars attached sequentially below the principle coathanger to carry successive items, such as garments.

A second preferred embodiment of the attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar is generally indicated at 34 in FIGS. 5,6, 7, and 8. The attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hangerbar 34 is the same as the bar 20, except that it is made of a rod ofsynthetic polymer composition material. It is molded into the shape of astraight bar 36 and upwardly directed arms 38 and 40 and hooks 42 and44. As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the attachable and detachable supplementalclothes hanger bar 36 is detachably engaged on the cross bar of hanger10. The hooks are configured to snap onto the hanger bar. In FIG. 8, anadditional attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar 46,which identical to the clothes hanger bar 34, is detachably attached tothe bar of clothes hanger bar 34. There is sufficient flexibility inthese attachable and detachable supplemental bars to permit the sidebending to achieve this engagement. This is also true in the structureshown in FIG. 4. The cross bars of these supplemental bars can beequipped with a folded paper stock protector soften the fold line of theitem hanging thereon.

FIGS. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 show a third preferred embodiment of theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar generallyindicated at 48. In this preferred embodiment, the cross bar 50 is apaper stock tube. The lower ends of arms 52 and 54 are engaged in theends of the tube, with the arm 54 shown in more detail in FIG. 12.

The tops of the arms have hooks 56 and 58 which are sized to engage overthe bottom cross bar of the conventional garment hanger. The lower endof each arm includes an entry section 60 which extends into the open endof the cross bar 50. The entry section terminates in the hook 62 whichis sized to resiliently engage into the inside of the paper stock tube.In this way, it resists pulling out of the cross bar 50. The sameconstruction applies to the arm 52. The arm 52 and 54 are spaced, likethe other upstanding arms of the embodiments, to engage on the cross bar18 of the coat hanger 10. FIG. 13 shows the hook 58 with a bill 59angularly directed away from the upright 54 to make it easy to snap untothe bar 18.

FIG. 11 illustrates the attachable and detachable supplemental clotheshanger bar 48 engaged on the cross bar of the hanger 10. It also showsan attachable and detachable supplemental bar 64 detachably attached tothe bar 48. This illustrates that multiple attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bars can be serially attached to the hanger10, with a number related to the number of garments or other items whichare to be hung on a single clothes hanger 10.

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 show another preferred embodiment of the attachableand detachable clothes hanger bar of this invention. The conventionalwire hanger is shown at 10. The attachable and detachable supplementalclothes hanger bar is indicated at 66. The bar 66 is comprised of apaperstock, or the like, tube with attachment clips 70 and 72 in theends. The attachment clips are sized to slide into and engage in theends of the tube. As seen in FIG. 17, the attachment clips may beinjection polymer material molded with barbs 74 and 76 across from slot78. Eye 80 is sized as an attachment hook to engage on the wire hangerat its bends between shoulders 14 and 16 and bar 18. When the attachmentclips are inserted into the ends of the tubular crossbar, the attachmentclips are snapped onto the wire hanger at the bends. This places thepaperstock tube just above the hanger crossbar to protect any garment orother item against creasing on the wire hanger crossbar.

FIGS. 18 and 19 show two other optional constructions of attachmentclips. Attachment clip 82 shown in FIG. 18 is molded of polymer materialin a U shape. The outer sides of the U legs are barbed and are sized topress into the paperstock tube. The U is sized to engage around thehanger wire. FIG. 19 shows attachment clip 84, which is formed ofresilient wire. It is sized to press into the ends of the paperstocktube and lock therein. The loop 86 is sized to engage the hanger wire.

The sizing and configuring of each attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar is such that an item such as a garmentcan be hung onto the supplemental bar and the hooks on top of the armscan be engaged onto the cross bar of the conventional hanger. Thispermits positioning of the garment onto the cross bar of thesupplemental bar and then hooking the supplemental bar onto the hanger.This can be repeated serially on the hanger with one supplementalclothes hanger bar depending from the next above until the need for thatparticular garment hanging function is satisfied.

This invention has been disclosed in several embodiments. It is clearthat further embodiments and modifications are within the scope of thefollowing claims.

1. An attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger barcomprising: a cross bar having first and second ends, said cross bar besuitable for the hanging of a flexible item such as a garment thereon;and first and second arms respectively attached to said first and secondends of the said cross bar and extending upwardly with respect thereto,said first and second arms respectively having first and second hooks,said hooks being sized to engage on the cross bar of wire coat hanger,said first and second arms being spaced from each other so that both ofsaid hooks can engage at the same time on the crossbar of a conventionalwire garment hanger so that said supplemental clothes hanger bar can beattached and detached from a wire coat hanger to provide additionalhanging space.
 2. The attachable and detachable supplemental clotheshanger bar of claim 1 wherein said clothes hanger bar is formed of asingle piece of material.
 3. The attachable and detachable supplementalclothes hanger bar of claim 2 wherein said bar and said arms and saidhooks are formed of a single piece of steel wire.
 4. The attachable anddetachable supplemental clothes hanger bar of claim 2 wherein said crossbar, said arms and said hooks are formed of a single piece of syntheticpolymer composition material.
 5. The attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar of claim 1 wherein said cross bar isformed of tubing and said arms and hooks are each formed of steel wireattached to said tubing.
 6. The attachable and detachable supplementalclothes hanger bar of claim 5 wherein said arms are sufficientlyflexible that a plurality of said supplemental clothes hanger bars canbe serially hung with respect to each other and said hooks of a specificclothes hanger bar are engaged on the clothes hanger bar thereabove toprovide a selectable series of attachable and detachable supplementalclothes hanger bars.
 7. An attachable and detachable supplementalclothes hanger bar comprising: a cross bar suitable for hanging flexiblematerial such as clothing thereon, said cross bar having first andsecond ends; first and second arms respectively attached to said firstand second ends of said cross bar, said first and second arms eachhaving a top end and a bottom end, first and second hooks respectivelypositioned at the top end of each of said first and second arms, saidfirst and second hooks being configured to detachably engage upon thecrossbar of a wire clothes hanger, said first and second arms beingspaced sufficiently so that said first and second hooks can both engageat the same time on the cross bar of a wire clothes hanger, said firstand second arms being sufficiently flexible so that when an attachableand detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar is attached to a wireclothes hanger, a second attachable and detachable supplemental clotheshanger bar substantially identical to first attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar can be detachably attached to said firstattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar.
 8. Theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar of claim 7wherein said cross bar, said arms and said hooks are made of one pieceof steel wire.
 9. The attachable and detachable supplemental clotheshanger bar of claim 7 wherein said cross bar, said arms and said hooksare made of one piece of synthetic polymer composition material.
 10. Theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar of claim 7wherein said cross bar is made of non-metallic tubing and said arms andhooks are made of steel wire, said first and second arms beingrespectively engaged into the ends of said non-metallic tubing.
 11. Theattachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar of claim 10wherein engagement of said arms into said tubular cross bar includes ahook which engages within said tubular cross bar to resist withdrawingof said arm from said cross bar.
 12. An attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar comprising: a tubular cross bar havingfirst and second ends, said cross bar be suitable for the hanging of aflexible item such as a garment thereon; and first and second attachmentclips respectively attached to said first and second ends of the saidcross bar and, said first and second attachment clips respectivelyhaving first and second wire clothes hanger attachment devices, saidattachment devices being sized to engage on the wire of a wire coathanger, so that said supplemental clothes hanger bar can be attached anddetached from a wire coat hanger.
 13. The attachable and detachablesupplemental clothes hanger bar of claim 12 wherein each of saidattachment clips is molded of polymer material and has external barbsthereon, said barbs being sized to engage into said tubular crossbar.14. The attachable and detachable supplemental clothes hanger bar ofclaim 12 wherein each of said attachment clips is formed of resilientwire and has an external hook thereon, said hook being sized to engageinto said tubular crossbar.